Ok...this is my first attempt at a truly sad story; all my other ones end happy, I just can't resist happy endings. Or at least, un-tragic endings. So...I'm not going to end this one happy. PLEASE review and tell me what you think of it!!! I depressed myself writing it, so I hope you appreciate the attempt. Enjoy (or at least review)!

Fly Again

"Fang!" Max cried, using the last of her strength to say it. She was sure he hadn't heard over the raging battle in the clearing.

Flock member against flock member.

They'd been brainwashed.

But Iggy had planted a minor bomb on her, and she hadn't noticed in time. Now Max was burned badly, bleeding terribly, but whatever brain damage it had inflicted had cleared her head. This was wrong, this wasn't who they really were.

Fang had heard her and he turned his head angrily, expecting some kind of ambush. None came. He saw where the voice had come from. It was Max. She was…she was hurt. The sight of it brought back memories.

Max, falling from the sky, clutching her head.

Max, kneeling on a beach, in a pool of blood.

Max, Max, Max…memories flooding back of her, and the flock. True memories. He was reeling from the shock, but ran to Max's side; she needed help.

"Max," he whispered. She looked up at him and his intense look told her everything she needed to know. He remembered. She sent him a look that spoke a silent apology, for everything she'd done, for everything she hadn't, for everything they couldn't be. For dying on him when he'd need her most.

"Don't—don't apologize, Max," Fang murmured. "You can't die on us, you're not going to. I'm not going to let you."

"You can't stop it, Fang," she managed.

"Yes, I will," he growled.

"No you can't. Stop arguing. I need you to get the flock together, I'm sorry I don't know how. Do that for me, Fang, get them back to their true selves, stop this fight. Be a flock again. And tell them all that I loved them until I died. Tell them goodbye."

Tears were threatening to fall. "You're not going to die, Max, I told you that," he said angrily, sparks flashing in his eyes. "I won't let you. If you die now on me, I'll—I'll kill you. Listen to me," he said, trying to stop her bleeding as much as possible. "You're going to live, and we're going to bring the flock back. That's an order."

Max nodded weakly. She'd try, but privately she doubted she'd make it through the next ten minutes. They were safe from the rest of the flock for the moment, sheltered behind a fallen tree. Unless one of them finished off the others and came looking for Max and Fang specifically, they'd be safe for quite some time.

Finally gathering enough strength to speak, Max said, "Whatever you say, boss. You're the leader of the flock, now."

"No! I said you're not dying on us," Fang said firmly, wrapping a shirt around her arm.

Her intense gaze finally made the dark boy look back at her. The emotions displayed there—the pain which was becoming numb, the despair, the knowledge that she wasn't going to make it, stopped him in his tracks.

With an inarticulate strangled cry, Fang suddenly drew Max, his leader, his love, to him, holding on for dear life. Her life, which was so dear to him. If he could give her his, he would in an instant.

He pulled back a bit in alarm when her shuddering sobs started quieting down. Max brought her hands up to cradle his face, leaving dirty smears on his already dirt-covered face.

"I know I'm not going to make it much longer, Fang. No use fighting it. I can't feel the pain anymore. I'm trying my hardest to stay awake so I can tell you…" her weak voice, barely a whisper, trailed off, her hands slipping down. She was so weak, she couldn't feel anything.

"Max!" Fang cried. "Don't go, please don't go! You can't," he choked out.

She smiled back up at him faintly. "I can't stop it, I'm trying to stay alive…" she was fighting with every last bit of strength in her body, fighting for every moment, every breath. "Have you ever been hit by a bomb?"

Tears were coursing down Fang's cheeks now. "Max—"

"Fang," she said, a little stronger than before. He had to hear her out. "Fang, get the flock. Tell them…tell them what I told you to. And…Fang? I know you already know this, but I had to tell you. Don't ever forget. It might make it harder for you to move on, if I admit it, but…I loved you with every breath in my body."

He almost didn't hear her rushed admission, as sobs started to wrack his body. "Max," he whispered, cradling her head in his hands, bare inches from his own, "I love you, and I will always love you."

With that, he brought his head down, closing the distance between them, and crashed his mouth to hers. He kissed her as gently as he dared, but with a last burst of energy, Max kissed him back as passionately as any lover could, then fell back limply into Fang's ropey arms.

He looked at her closed eyes, her unmoving chest, and realization took him. Holding her body close, he sobbed, not knowing how long he stayed in that position. Spent, he slowly got to his feet, promising to return soon. Fang had one last mission: to find the flock, restore them, and lead them.

With eyes empty of all emotion, gone completely numb, he left Max's body behind. He would get them together, if there were even any left. They were the flock of Maximum Ride; they would fly again.